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I scoffed, shaking my head at that. Auren had basically dragged these people into the modern age, and they were all acting like he was the worst thing that had ever happened to their movement.
Our morning carried on that way, with Auren catching me up on all the stuff I’d missed in his life, rocking his chair with folded arms for most of it.
The teenager I’d thought was dead had grown into a man I didn’t always recognize, but in moments like these, he was just my brother, animated and laughing—even though he sounded a little hoarse from disuse—and just generally being anything other than the Leader of the Resistance.
Michaelson deserved to be part of this.
That sudden thought made my heart hurt for a whole new reason.
When I finally left Auren’s apartment with him in tow, it was disorienting to see the change he went through.
His shoulders rolled back, his aviators fell into place, and the smile I’d been enjoying vanished. People gave him a wide berth for the most part, except for the few kids who would see him and wave. With new context, I couldn’t help but wonder how many of them he had rescued personally.
After I asked, he broke character long enough to laugh. “God, more than I can actually keep up with. I didn’t pull a Blossom-Tarragon situation, but there are a lot of kids running around that I have a hand in raising. Mostly, the packs or covens tend to their own, but vampires, fae, and angels are a little more hands-off, so they become community kids. We all try to help where we can. Kiyomasa and Zuzanna love helping with the younger ones.”
I was tempted to ask why, but we’re derailed by a class of training kids barreling into his kneecaps.
Auren took a minute to talk to them and then sent them on their way, whereupon I remembered something. “Weren’t you in hiding for a while?”
He smirked. “More like I was hiding from you, specifically. Kiyomasa promised to let me talk to you on my own time, so when you showed up on our doorstep, he had to think fast. It was easy to pretend my identity wasn’t well-known, considering the size of our organization now. It’d be like a CFO walking into one of their stores—people know I exist, but how many can point me out in a crowd?”
It made a twisted sort of sense. I decided I had a new bone to pick with that old man.
“Makes sense, I guess,” I grumbled, and he chuckled as we made our way toward the meeting room.
It’s mostly empty when we get there, but I figure that’s probably Auren’s norm. I was usually one of the last to show up to these things, even though it was admittedly very kind of them to involve my circle and I in it anyway. Auren made himself comfortable in his usual chair at the head of the table, and I dropped down beside him.
We’re already here waiting,I told Aria. It was as natural as breathing, and I could feel my brother’s stare.
“You guys are linked telepathically now, huh? Kiran theorized it, but we haven’t outright asked yet.”
I grimaced, torn between wanting to talk with my brother and wanting to keep the bond and its quirks secret. You never knew when you’d need a trump card—what if this was the one that would save us someday?
“Yeah,” I huffed, relenting. “We are.”
He nodded like that came anywhere close to satisfying his curiosity.
It took another thirty minutes for the others to start piling in. Kiran and Atlan arrived first. The twins eyed me and Auren curiously, but then Marilyn, Johnny, and Kiyomasa wandered in. Aria let me know she was walking with Reese and Neo—and that the two were apparently having an intense discussion about the differences in their lifespans that she needed to focus on. Soon, we were all settled at the table as per usual.
Aria dropped into the chair beside me, bumping her shoulder into mine affectionately. I leaned over to kiss the top of her head.
Did you two get to talk?
Her question was innocent enough, with poorly masked curiosity trickling to me through the bond.
For a few hours, actually. Did you know hybrids are more common than people think?
She bit her lower lip.I figured. From my sleuthing, it looks like most of the kids here are hybrids, but there are some really old ones, too. Not many are in our age group.
I think our parents' generation was trying to be careful, still. The longer we go on, the less serious hybrids seem. It’s probably why Azazel and the Council are making such a big show of us being dangerous.
Her head bobbed in agreement. When Reese poked at her side, she just mumbled about telling her more later.
“So,” Auren sighed, lacing his fingers on the table in front of him. “Update me.”
12
THE CALM BEFORE THE STORM
